Although the demand for printing electronic documents (EDs) is decreasing because of recent improvements in computer displays, there are still those who generate hardcopies (i.e., permanent readable text and/or graphics, usually on physical print media such as paper, transparencies, microfilm, etc.) of EDs for purposes of reading the EDs. For example, some readers may simply prefer reading a hard copy over staring at a computer screen. In other instances, hardcopies of the EDs may be provided to a group of people at an informal presentation, or in other situations where reading from a projector screen or computer display is not convenient.
An ED often includes various types of elements. Some elements are data heavy but processing light. Some elements are data light but processing heavy. In order to generate a hardcopy of the ED, the ED must be rasterized and users often wish to rasterize the ED using a remote rasterization service. However, transmitting the ED with all the data heavy elements to the remote rasterization service places a significant burden on the connection linking the rasterization service and the transmitting source of the ED. Regardless of this burden, users still wish to use the remote rasterization service.